Comair's final flight marks end of an era

ATLANTA (AP) - Aviation observers say the death of Delta Air Lines' partner Comair was a result of high fuel costs that made its 50-seat regional jets too expensive to fly and high labor costs that made it difficult to compete with other small carriers.

The weekend brought the final flight for Comair, a subsidiary of Atlanta-based Delta that flew under the Delta Connection brand.

Comair's last flight also marked the end for an industry pioneer that helped spearhead the introduction of the 50-seat regional jets that replaced most turboprops in the 1990s.

Delta says it expects no service disruptions, because other Delta Connection regional carriers are taking over flights.